Shoe-heel guard



April 16, 1929-` A. 3. BooMER 1,708,964

SHOE HEEL GUARD Filei May 6, 1927 Patented pr. 16, 1929.

UNITED sfr-.artis ALICE C. BOOMER, READING, MASSAG'HUSETTS.

anon-HEEL' GUARD.

eppncation mea may c, 1927.' serial No. 189,328.

My invention aims to provide an improved guard or protector for the rear portions, 1n-

cluding particularly the heel and counter por-4 tions, of shoes, and especially womens shoes.I While the device of my invention is adapted for use under various circumstances in which injury to a shoe is likely to arise, it is primarily intended for the protection of a shoe or the shoes of a person operating an automobile.

In the drawings illustrating by way of eX-v ample one embodiment of my invention Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing the. device as applied toa shoe, the releasaple securing means being unfastened; l

Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the guard or protector with the releasable'securing means fastened;

Fig. 3 is a horizontal section on the line 3--3 of Fig. 2; and

Fig. 4 is a plan of the two l'nain sections of the guard prior toits completion.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, the shoe heel guard or protector, in the illustrative form of my invention, comprises a shield or body, preferably formed of two main sections 2, 2 oppositely positioned but substantially identical in size and form, permitting them to be out out or stamped simultaneously and by the same die. Any suitable wear-resistant and desirably somewhat flexible material may be employed for the purpose, preferably leather, fabric or fibrous material of substantial weight. trated, each main section 2 includes an outer member or layer 3 for which I may employ a suitable weight of patent leather or other material lof pleasing appearance, and an inner or liningmember or layer 4 which may be a suitable grade-of sheepskin or the like. Various colors and. grades of leather,

- or other suitable material such as mentioned above, may be employed for the outer member to correspond if desired with that of the shoe to be protected. v

Said main sections ofthe shield, as best seen in Figs. 1 and 4, are each of a roughly `rectangular 'shape substantially as illustrated, avoiding wastage of stock'such asmarked irregularitiesofcontour would occasion, each section having an approximately straight upper edge 5, a short projection or tab-like part 6 at its upper forward portion, a front edge -7 extending downwardly from the latter, a substantially' straight bottom As illusedge 8 at approximately right angles to the front edge, and a rear vertical ed e 9 convexed substantially as shown to con orm generally to the contour of the rear portion of a usual shoe counter. Y

The inner and outer members 3, 3 and 4, 4 of the. respective main sections 2, 2 are placed together flatwise and secured in said `position in any suitable manner, desirably by suitable flexible adhesive or cement applied to the juxtaposed faces and by the peripheral stitchlng 10 along one or more edges, herein the top and front edges 5 and 7. The two sections so formed are united at their rear edges only by the rear seam 11 at approximlatply the rear vertical median line of the s ie d.

.The shield or body of the guard thus provided is adapted to receive and fit over the heel and rear counter portion of the shoe, the two main sections extending forwardly to, and terminating with their front edges substantially in, the transverse vertical plane containing the front face of the heel lift.

'The two sections of the shieldl are spaced at their front edges but are connected at the lower port-ion thereof, preferably adjust-ably or yieldably, as by the cross-piece or member 12, herein comprising one or 'more and preferably a plurality of` thicknesses or strips of elast-ic webbing 13, 14. As illustrated, see particularly Figs. 2 to 4, the opposite ends of said cross-piece 12 are inserted between the outer and inner members 3, 4 of the respective main sections 2, 2 and are secured in said position preferably by the peripheral stitching 10 previously mentioned. Said cross-piece constitutes a yieldingly adjustable union permitting the guard to adjust itself to and conform with various styles 9 and sizes of shoe. ...Due to Iits described construction and arrangement ltaffords adjustability for the guard both transversely and longitudinally of the shoe. As shown it is adapted to lie substantially vertically against the front face of the heel lift, holding the guard securely in the desired position at its lower portion. Y

Additional means for properly positioning and holding the guard upon the wearers shoe desirably is provided. In the present form I have shown for the purpose a strap-like member 15 attached atone end at the up er porv tion of one main section 2, desirably orming.' at it were, an extension of thetab 6, and

adapted to extend liatwise transversely of the instep of the wearers foot. Suitable fastening means for said strap-like member is provided at the corresponding location on the other main section 2, herein the looped strip 16 having a fastener, such as the buckle 17. Said members 15 and 16 each preferably have their inner ends secured to the respectiveV sections of the guard iu a manner similar to that in which the cross-piece 12 is secured, that is, by being inserted between the inner and outer members or layers 3, 3 and 4, 4 and held by the peripheral ystitching 10. It will be noted that the inner surface of the shield is thus entirelyl smooth and free of any projection, metal, or irregularity of any nature that might occasion discomfort to the wearer or injury to thewearers shoe or stocking. Said members 15, 16, together with the-fastener 17 provide readily releasable fastening means for the upper forward portions of the guard. They may be of any preferred relative lengths but desirably such as to bring the fastener 17 at the outer side of the wearers foot.

If desired, the described heel guards may be supplied the wearer in pairs, in which case the strap-,like fastening members are desirably oppositely arranged to provide a right and a left guard. In connection with the operation of an automobile, however, most of the smiling, scratching or like injurious effect comes only on' the right shoe, that of the foot used to control the accelerator and brake, pedals, so that in most instances a single guardl designed for the right foot will suffice. The position of the operators right foot at such time is approximately that illustrated in Fig. 1, from which it will be apparent how contact of the heel and counter portions of the shoe with the floor 'boards and adjacent parts of the automobile-is likely to cause injury and excess wear at the region mentioned, all of whlch is protected against by the disclosed device.

In forming the guard the ease of manufacture is increased and the manufacturing cost lessened by following the method substantially as illustrated in Fig. the described construction and its advantages, particularly froma manufacturing standpoint, `will be apparent when viewed in connection with the other figures. The inner and outer members of the two main sections 4, from which figure are superposed, any suitable adhesive having been applied between them, retaining them in intimate and non-wrinkling relation over substantially their entire area, and the two sections placed ilatwise with their forward edges facing each other. The inner ends of lthe fastening members 15, 16 are inserted in their proper position between the inner and outer layers of the respective main sections, and the ends of the cross-piece 12 similarly inscrted at their correct location. The peripheral stitching 10 is then applied to cach of the two sections, passing through and se-v curing together the inner and outer members thereof and at the same time anchoring the cross-piece and fastening members. -\'l"he two main sections are then brought together at their rear edges and stitched along the line 11, as the final step, forming an unturned or other vertical seam at the rear central region of the guard.

From the foregoing it will be apparent that I have provided an efiicient shoe heel guard or protector of extreme simplicity and inexpensiveness of manufacture which will conorm neatly to the rear portion of the wearers shoe and will adjust itself automatically to various sizes or styles of footwear.

My invention is not limited to the particular embodiment or method herein shown and described, its scope being pointed out in the appended claim. Y

I-claim A shoe heel and counter guard comprising, in combination; two similar, oppositely disposed shield sections of flexible sheet material uniting at the rear vertical median line of the guard, the abutting portions of said two sections thereat having their edges operatively upset at substantially right angles to .the adjacent faces of the shield sections as ln wearing position and beingseamed in said relation thereby to provide a vertical ridge on the outer face of the guard adapted Y to assist as a fulcrum or centering means in positioning the wearers foot for operation of a pedal member of an automobile; and means for releasably securing said shield sections on the wearers shoe. In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification.

ALICE c. Boomiu- 

